Yendi (N/R), March 18, GNA - The Abudu Royal Gate of Dagbon says it would co-operate with the Andanis to bury Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, the Overlord of Dagbon, but would resist any attempt to install his regent. Speaking at a press conference at Yendi on Saturday, Mion-Lana Alhassan Abudu Ziblim, Head of the Abudus, called for the formation of a burial committee to address the security and logistics needed for the burial. He said: "We wish to remind our brothers from the Andani Family and the whole world that the Otumfuo Committee of Eminent Chiefs' peace process is ongoing.

"We will continue to have faith in that process and pray that our brothers will abandon their unilateral programme and return to the peace process after the burial of the Ya-Na", he said. The Mion-Lana noted that the Committee of Eminent Chiefs had in place a five-step programme in their roadmap to peace in Dagbon, which included the burial of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani and the performance of the funeral of the Former Ya-Na Mahamadu Abdulai, who died in 1987.

The programme also includes the performance of the funeral of Former Ya-Na Yakubu Andani; the assessment of Gate Skins and the search for the next Ya-Na. The Mion-Lana said if the Kuga-Na, Abdulai Braimah and the Andani Family chose to ignore the Abudu Family and all those who had invested time and resources into the peace process; they did so to their own detriment and the security of Dagbon. He said no self-respecting elder of Dagbon tradition, with the calibre of the Kuga-Na, should want to ignore and obliterate the legacy and memory of the Former Ya-Na Mahamadu Abdulai.

"In the true spirit of the Supreme Court ruling of December 17, 1986...and the August 14, 1987 Memorandum of Agreement on the Yendi Skin dispute, the Abudu Royal Family intends to perform the funeral of the late Ya-Na Mahamadu Abdulai after the body of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani is laid to rest", the Mion-Lana said. "We support the burial of the late King but we will resist any attempt by the Andani Family to highjack or by-pass the peace process and proceed to install a regent after the burial", he stressed. He said the Abudus would "continue to participate in any peace process that aims at genuinely delivering a workable solution acceptable to both families".

The Mion-Lana said it had never been their position to oppose or resist the burial of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani and had on numerous occasions expressed their willingness and desire to co-operate and assist the Andani Family in the burial process. Fourteen Chiefs and a large number of Abudu youth attended the press conference. The Mion-Lana said the Abudus believed that if the two families worked together it would inspire the peace process and send a strong positive signal all over Dagbon. "It is our hope that a befitting burial for the late King will open the opportunity for both sides to address the difficult issues of the peace process," he said.

Eleven Royals of the Andani Royal Family on Friday March 10, 2006 came out with a programme for the burial of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani. A copy each of the programme was forwarded to President John Agyekum Kufuor; Chairman of the Committee of Eminent Chiefs; President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs; Northern Regional Coordinating Council; President of the National House of Chiefs; Chairman of the Council of State; General-Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana and the General-Secretary of the Catholic Bishop Conference.

Other recipients of the programme were: the Chief Imam; Office of National Imam; the President of the Ghana Bar Association; Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme; a Representative of the West African Network for Peace Building; High Commissions and Diplomatic Missions. A statement the Eleven royals issued said: "The Andani Royal Family having held consultation with Naa Yaba, the Kuga-Naa and the Consecrated Council of Elders in Dagbon has once again arrived at a decision to lay to rest the mortal remains of the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Naa Yakubu Andani II, and to install his regent as custom demands, next month (Damba Month).

"The Andani Royal Family believes that the burial and the installation of a Regent of Ya-Naa Yakubu II would be a big boost to the restoration of peace and tranquillity in Dagbon," the statement said. "Once again, Naa Yaba, the Kuga-Naa has written to the Committee of Eminent Chiefs for the fifth time to lend support to our new burial programme for the entombment of the mortal remains of the King and the installation of his Regent in April, 2006", the Royal Family said. The Andani Royal Family implored the Committee to give its maximum support and understanding in restoring and maintaining peace in Dagbon throughout the period.

The programme indicated that on March 29, security in Yendi and around the Palace would be reinforced while there would be a purification of the Palace on March 31. On April 2, the late Ya-Naa's family would return to the palace and the formal customary announcement of the death of the Ya-Naa by the Kuga-Naa would be made on April 3. Arrival of chiefs and mourners at Yendi and the burial of Ya-Naa Yakubu by Dagbon Consecrated Elders would be performed also on April 3 while the installation Ya-Naa Yakubu's Regent would take place on April 21.

The Eleven Royals of the Andani Royal Family included: Kumbun-Naa Yire; Gulkpegu Gbon-Lana Ziblim; Yoo-Gbon-Lana Kpema Mahamadu; Sun-Lana Mahama; Zogu-Lana Abudulai; Zugu-Lana Andani; Tampion-Lana Alhassan; Tijo-na Iddrisu; Woribogu-Lana Abudulai; Kpan-Naa Mahamadu and Nyimbun-Na Andani. The Kuga-Naa in consultation with the Andani Royal Family has made several attempts to entomb Ya-Na Yakubu Andani, who was assassinated in April 2002, to no avail.